Locomotive-grate shaker.



PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

H. SWOYER. LOGOMOTIVE GRATE SHAKER.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 4, 1903.

K0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITH ISSESA PATENTBD MAY 10, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v H. SWOYER. LOG'GMOTIVE GRATE SHAKER. APPLICATION FILED AUGuj: 1903./.9

N0 MODEL.

FIGB.

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UNITED STATES Patented. May 10, 1904..

HARRY SWVOYER, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

LOCOMOTlVE-GRATE SHAKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 759,486, dated May 10,1904.

Application filed August 4, 1903.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LHARRY SwoYER, of Louis ville, in the county ofJefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Locomotive- Grate Shakers, of which improvement thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an appliance of simple andinexpensive construction and ready applicability in locomotive-engine sof the various constructions now in service whereby locomotive-grates ofthe rocking type may be shaken or rocked as from time to time requiredto clear them of clinkers and cinders and permit free access of air tothe fuel, this operation being performed either by the action of steamor by an operator standing in the cab or on the foot-plate or deck ofthe locomotive or tender, as circumstances may render most advisable.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a rear View in elevation of alocomotive firebox, illustrating an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2,a partial side view of the same; Fig. 3, a view, partly in elevation andpartly in section and on an enlarged scale, of the mo tor-cylinders;Fig. 4, a plan view, partly in section, of the same, showing the shakershafts and arms; Fig. 5, an end view of a motor-cylinder; and Fig. 6, avertical transverse section through the same, taken on the line 00 a; ofFig. 3.

My invention is specially designed for use in connection with rockinggrates of locomotive-boilers and is herein exemplified as applied in aboiler of such type in which it has been for some time past and is nowregularly operated in practical service. It will, however, be obviousthat its application is not in anywise limited to locomotive-boilers andthat it may be employed without variation of structure or operativeprinciple in stationary and marine boilers which are provided withrocking grates.

In the practice of my invention a vertical shaker-shaft 1 (one shaft ora pair thereof, as the case may be) is journaled in bearings 2, whichare secured to the back head of a fire- Serial No. 168,143. (No model.)

able in connection with grates of comparatively large areas which arenow generally in use two shaker-shafts located on opposite sides of thefire-door are employed, one of said shafts serving to actuate the barsof the forward half of the grate and the other to independently actuatethe bars of the rear half. The two shaker-shafts and their operatingmechanisms are, however, substantially simi lar in construction andoperation, which will. be understood from a description of either systemof the pair.

An arm 6 is fixed upon the lower end of each of the shaker-shafts 1 andis coupled by a rod or link 7 to a downwardly-projecting arm 5 on alongitudinal rocking bar 5", which is coupled in the ordinary manner tothe gratebars 5 of that portion of the grateas, say, the rear halfthereof-which is to be rocked by the shaker-shaft. The grate-bars of theother half of the grate are similarly connected to the correspondinglower arm 6 of the opposite shaker-shaft. Each shaker-shaft has fixedupon its upper end an arm 8, which is coupled, as presently to bedescribed, to the piston-rod of a fluid-pressure motor-cylinder 9 by thereciprocation of the piston of which the shaker-shaft may be rocked orvibrated in its bearings and will thereby correspondingly rock thegrate-bars to which it is connected.

The motor-cylinders 9 are provided on their upper and lower sides withvertical trunnions 10, which are journaled in bearings 11 on asupporting-plate 12, secured to the back sheet or head of the outsidefire-box 3. Each cylinder is fitted with a properly-packed piston 13,secured upon a piston-rod 14, upon the outer end of which is keyed orotherwise socured a cross-head or clevis 15, which is coupled by a pin16 to the upper arm f the adjacent shaker-shaft 1. A valve-chest 17 isformed upon or fixed to each of the motorcylinders 9 and communicateswith the ends thereof by induction and ediiction ports 18 in theordinary manner and also communicates, through exhaust-ports 18 at eachof its ends, with the atmosphere. Steam from the boiler is supplied toeach of the valve-chests through a supply-pipe 19, which is governed bya suitable cock or valve, and communicates with a central supply-passage18 and is exhausted therefrom through the end exhaust-ports 18" andthrough a connected discharge-pipe 20, leading to the ash-pan or to anyother pre-' ferred point of discharge outside of the cab of thelocomotive. Steam is admitted to and exhausted from the opposite ends ofeach of the motor-cylinders to efi ect the reciprocation of the pistonthereof by a distribution-valve 21, which may be of any known andpreferred construction and which is herein shown as of the piston type.The valves 21 are fixed upon valve-stems 22, the outer ends of which arecoupled to operating-levers 23, which are pivoted on the motor-cylinders9 and traverse between end stops in guides 24c, fixed thereon. Thedistribution-valves are reciprocated by moving the operating-levers byhand, and the resultant admission and exhaust of steam to and from themotor-cylinders effects the reciprocation of their pistons at anydesired rate of speed and the oscillation of the connected shaker-shaftsand grate-bars. If desired, the distribution-valves may be automaticallyactuated by the movements of the cylinder or piston through theintermediation of valveoperating gear of any of the variousconstructions which are familiar to those skilled in the art.

Under certain conditions it may become desirable to shake the grates bythe direct application of manual power, and for this purpose eachshaker-shaft is provided with a short arm 1, to which a hand-lever 25may preferably be attached by a stub 26 and be vibrated by an operatorto correspondingly rock the shaker-shaft. The stub or locking-pin 26 iscoupled to the arm 1, said stub when turned down engaging a socket 2 onone of the bearings of the shaker-shaft, in which position it serves tohold the grate-bars which are coupled to said shaft in their central ornormal operative position. When the grates are to be rocked by powerapplied in the motorcylinders, the stub is turned up and hooked into astirrup 27, pivoted to the shaker-shaft, and when the grates are to berocked by hand the pin 16, by which the upper arm of the shaker-shaft iscoupled to the piston-rod, is removed, as indicated at the left of Fig.1, and the hand-lever 25, which is provided with a socket, is coupled tostub 26 and fastened thereto by pin 26.

The drop-grate 28 is raised and lowered, as from time to time required,by a hand-lever wa e 29, pivoted to a sleeve 30, which is fitted tooscillate on one of the shaker-shafts, and carries an arm 31, coupled bya link 32 to the drop-grate. Vhen the drop-grate is in nor mal oroperative position, the hand-lever stands parallel with the back head ofthe fire-box and out of the way of the fireman, andits free end rests ina bracket 33, fixed on the firebox, as shown in Fig. 1.

My invention enables arocking grate to be expeditiously and effectivelyshaken by po wer actuated mechanism whenever required andcorrespondingly relieves the fireman from the labor which is necessaryin doing this work by hand. The mechanism is compact and inexpensive,and is applicable in position for operation on locomotive or otherboilers with out involving modification of or interference with theordinary accessories thereof or change in the grates now employed.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In agrate-shaking appliance, the combination of a shaker-shaft journaled inbearings on a fire-box and having upper and lower arms, a fluid-pressuremotor-cylinder having a piston, which is coupled to the upper arm of theshaker-shaft, a link by which the lower arm of said shaft is coupled toa plurality of rocking grate-bars, a pivoted drop-grate, a sleeve fittedfreely on the shaker-shaft and coupled to the drop-grate, and ahand-lever coupled to said sleeve for raising and lowering thedrop-grate by movement of the sleeve.

2. In a grate-shaking appliance, the combination of a shaker-shaftjournaled vertically in bearings on the back head of a fire-box, upperand lower arms fixed onsaid shaft, a supporting-plate fixed on thefire-box and carrying vertical trunnion-bearings, a motorcylinder havingtrunnions fitted in said bearings, a piston and rod in said cylinder, aconnection coupling the piston-rod to the upper arm of the shaker-shaft,a distribution-valve controlling the supply and exhaust of motive fluidto and from the motor-cylinder, an operating-lever connected to thedistributionvalve, and a rod or link coupling the lower arm of theshaker-shaft to a rocking grate.

3. In a grate-shaking appliance, the combination of a shaker-shaftjournaled vertically in bearings on the back head of a fire-box, upperand lower arms fixed on said shaft, a motor-cylinder fixed on thefire-box, a-piston and rod in said cylinder, a detachable connectioncoupling the piston-rod to the upper arm of the shaker-shaft, adistribution-valve controlling the supply and exhaust of motive fluid toand from the motor-cylinder, an operating-lever connected to thedistributionvalvc, a rod or link coupling the lower arm of theshaker-shaft to a rocking grate, and an arm fixed on the shaker-shaftand adapted for connection to ahand operating-lever.

1. In a grate-shaking appliance, the combination of a revolubleshaker-shaft journaled in hearings on a fire-box, one of said bearingsbeing provided with a socket, upper and lower arms on said shaft, afluid-pressure motorcylinder supported on the fire-box, a piston in saidcylinder coupled to the upper arm of the shaker-shaft, a link forconnecting the lower arm of the shaft to a plurality of rockinggrate-bars, a short intermediate arm fixed on said shaft, a stub coupledto said arm and adapted to engage the socket in said bearing and ahand-lever when not engaging said socket.

5. In a grate-shaking appliance, the combination of a revolubleshaker-shaft journaled in hearings on a fire-box, one of said bearingsbeing provided with a socket, upper and lower arms on said shaft, afluid-pressure motor-cylinder supported on the fire-box, a piston insaid cylinder adapted to be coupled to the upper arm of theshaker-shaft, a link for connecting the lower arm of the shaft to aplurality of rocking grate-bars, a short intermediate arm fixed on saidshaft, a stub coupled to said arm and adapted to engage the socket insaid hearing, a stirrup on the shaft and adapted to receive said stubwhen not engaged in said bearing.

HARRY SVVOYER. Witnesses:

C. F. GILES, E. S. HEDGGOOK.

